The Sing! Project
by litchibi
Summary: Twelve finalists have been chosen for the new reality series, The Sing! Project. Join them as they compete each week for a recurring guest spot on the hit show, Sing! Only on Hydrogen.
1. Prologue

_This story is based upon Stephanie Meyer's Twilight series and Oxygen's "The Glee Project." I own nothing. _

* * *

><p>"Hi, this is Geraldine Cope reporting to you live from the set of <em>The Sing! Project<em>, the new hit reality show from the creators of _Sing!_ Contestants are competing for a seven-episode guest spot on _Sing!_ and a leg up on their road to stardom. Out of forty thousand contestants, co-creators Carlisle Cullen and Sam Uley have narrowed it down to twelve lucky finalists. Let's meet them, shall we?"

**oooOooo**

Name: Isabella Swan  
>Age: 19<br>Hometown: Seattle, Washington  
>Occupation: student<br>Why I deserve to win:Honestly, I'm not even sure what I'm doing here. Alice made me enter, but since I made it this far, uh…I guess I can do that whole "wholesome girl next door" thing pretty well? _Sing!_ needs one of those, right?

**oooOooo**

Name: Alice Cullen  
>Age: 18<br>Hometown: Seattle, Washington  
>Occupation: student<br>Why I deserve to win: I'm cute and bubbly and fun. Of course I should win!

**oooOooo**

Name: Rosalie Hale  
>Age: 19<br>Hometown: Los Angeles, California  
>Occupation: model<br>Why I deserve to win: Every show needs that super unattainable girl. I mean, Quintina Duveau had a baby first season. That's totally *bleep*, I mean, what kind of *bleep* *bleep* *bleep*? McKennel High needs a new queen bee. That's me.

**oooOooo**

Name: Lauren Mallory  
>Age: 21<br>Hometown: San Diego, California  
>Occupation: actress<br>Why I deserve to win: I'm the only one here with any _real_ experience. I mean, I've been on Broadway. None of these other amateurs can touch me.

**oooOooo**

Name: Jessica Stanley  
>Age: 18<br>Hometown: Atlanta, Georgia  
>Occupation: waitress<br>Why I deserve to win: I was a cheerleader in high school, and the cheer squad needs a new captain to replace Quintina. I could totally do that. Here, look how flexible I am! _The rest of this interview has been censored due to objectionable content_.

**oooOooo**

Name: Angela Weber  
>Age: 19<br>Hometown: Hauppauge, New York  
>Occupation: administrative assistant<br>Why I deserve to win: I was in glee club in high school, so I know exactly what it's like to be a music geek. I think that makes me perfect for the show.

**oooOooo**

Name: Edward Masen  
>Age: 21<br>Hometown: Chicago, Illinois  
>Occupation: student<br>Why I deserve to win: I refuse to dignify that question with a response. Either I look like a cocky asshole or a loser. No thanks.

**oooOooo**

Name: Emmett McCarty  
>Age: 20<br>Hometown: Detroit, Michigan  
>Occupation: mechanic<br>Why I deserve to win: I'm awesome, duh. Just look at these guns. _Sing!_ needs a real leading man, and that's me.

**oooOooo**

Name: Jasper Hale  
>Age: 22<br>Hometown: Austin, Texas  
>Occupation: student<br>Why I deserve to win: _Sing!_ doesn't have any characters from the South. Besides, they could always use another nerd. Check out of my Harry Potter glasses!

**oooOooo**

Name: Michael Newton  
>Age: 19<br>Hometown: Forks, Washington  
>Occupation: store manager<br>Why I deserve to win: I love _Sing!_ I swear, I have every episode memorized, and I'd be totally perfect for the show. Seriously.

**oooOooo**

Name: Eric Yorkie  
>Age: 18<br>Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts  
>Occupation: student<br>Why I deserve to win: What can I say? The ladies love me. Having me on _Sing!_ would double the show's ratings. And that's just the first week.

**oooOooo**

Name: Jacob Black  
>Age: 20<br>Hometown: Grand Rapids, Michigan  
>Occupation: actor<br>Why I deserve to win: I was in all four movies in the _Dusk_ series, so obviously, I can act. Besides, Jackie Fast gave me a bunch of singing tips when we were going out. That's right—I dated a multi-platinum artist. I know what's up.

**oooOooo**

**Next On _The Sing! Project_: Individuality**

* * *

><p><em>AN: After several years of lurking, and a recent addiction to _The Glee Project_, I decided to take the plunge and try my hand at writing fanfiction. Hope you guys enjoy it!_


	2. Individuality  Monday

Bella looked up at the building, shielding her eyes from the mid-afternoon sun. The old brick structure seemed to loom before her, demanding to know what she was doing there. _Hell if I know_, she thought to herself. Between the dingy doorway and the decrepit-looking warehouse next door, it seemed impossible that this was the set for a reality television show.

Gripping her suitcase handle, she dragged it up the misshapen porch steps and over the threshold, stubbing her toe on the way in. "Stupid NDA," she muttered. "Don't tell the media hounds we're big fat liars! LA? Hah!" As she limped over to the staircase, she pulled out her train ticket stub. The destination read "Detroit," rather than "Los Angeles." With a long-suffering sigh, she shoved the paper into her pocket and took her first look at her surroundings.

Someone had obviously come in and remodeled the place. All of the walls had been freshly painted in happy pastels, and the banister beside her head shone in the soft, incandescent lighting. She reached up and ran her hand across its smooth surface. Spotless. She held her fingers in front of her eyes to check.

An unfamiliar voice broke into her musings, and her index finger narrowly missed her eyeball as she jumped. She rubbed the bridge of her nose gingerly. Hopefully there wouldn't be a mark.

A smooth chuckle sounded beside her as a tall, lanky frame folded itself into a position that mirrored hers. "So you're Bella," he commented. Leaning forward, he pushed back some of her hair to peer into her face. "Huh. Not quite what I was expecting."

Tugging her locks loose, she tucked them behind her ear and tried not to shudder. He was sitting far too close, and something about him was distinctly unnerving. Perhaps it was the strange, copper color of his hair, or the condescending smirk on his lips. Her money was on the latter, and a niggling voice in the back of her mind told her to walk away. Instead, she gave him a suspicious look. "What _were_ you expecting?"

"The way Alice tells it, we were all expecting another Lauren or Rosalie." He leaned against the steps, his green eyes dismissive as they gave her the once-over. "No, definitely not."

Bella frowned. This was exactly what she had been afraid of: a house full of superficial judgment and subterfuge. _It beats the alternative_, she thought, _but it's a very close call._ The idea of spending weeks living with a bunch of divas made her queasy. She squirmed. Maybe skipping lunch had been a bad idea.

For a brief, shining moment, Bella contemplated what would happen if she just walked out the door. Surely the other contestants wouldn't mind. One less person to demoralize. As she stood, however, the light tapping of feet skittered down the stairs, and a multicolored blur launched itself at her. She gasped in surprise, her hands instinctively grabbing the railing for support.

"Alice," Bella groaned, taking in the cropped head of hair by her chin. She carefully regained her footing. "No tackling on the stairs, unless you want to send me home in a full body cast."

Her best friend's blue eyes sparkled with mirth, setting off her elfin features in a winsome look of innocence. "Oopsies. I'm just happy to see you. I thought you'd never get here! I picked out the best bed for you, right next to the window, and the other girls are _pissed_. They keep trying to steal it, but I was here first, so I get first dibs, and besides, it's not your fault you're almost late. You didn't miss much, I don't think. The hot water kept running out on our first day here, so Jacob Black pulled some strings to get us a larger water heater. Anyway, we're meeting in ten minutes, so you won't have time to actually use the shower or anything, but we can get you settled afterwards. Edward told you, right?"

"Um, no?" Bella took a second to process the rest of Alice's rushed litany of disjointed information, then turned to the boy who had been mocking her earlier. "You're Edward?"

"Apparently." He straightened, dusting off his jeans as he stood. Bella discreetly withdrew. He was tall, much taller than she had realized. He took a step towards her, grinning as she shrank closer to her friend and fiddled nervously with her sleeves. "Oh, this is going to be fun." With that, he loped away, leaving Bella to debate the ethics of self-sabotage.

"Oh, don't let him get to you. He's trying to psych you out." Alice tapped her chin with one finger as she looked her companion over. "Okay, we can't do much about your clothes right now, but the least we can do is fix your face."

"Excuse me?" Bella protested. Ignoring her, Alice darted upstairs and reemerged, seconds later, with a make-up caddy in one hand. The next few minutes were spent sequestered in the bathroom performing a slipshod version of a makeover. Bella tried to ignore whatever it was Alice was doing, her vision skimming over the peeling wallpaper and the mildew beside the sink. Apparently renovations didn't cover any areas that would not be filmed.

Her self-appointed cosmetologist finished with thirty seconds to spare, and they skidded into the main practice room just as Carlisle stood to address the group

"Oh good, you're here. If you take a seat, we can get started."

Bella blushed and shuffled to the nearest open spot, a small, foot-wide space that left her wedged between a Native American boy and a gorgeous blonde. With a toss of her flaxen locks, the latter promptly huffed and scooted away. Alice plopped herself neatly beside Edward and stared impassively at the front of the room.

Carlisle cleared his throat. "Right, then. We're just going to go over the rules one more time. Each week, we'll focus on a different theme that is an integral part of being on _Sing! _You guys will get a day and a night to prepare a homework assignment. The rest of the week, you'll be in the recording studio with me, practicing choreography with Esme Platt, and shooting a music video with director Eleazar Denali. The winner from the homework assignment will perform a solo in the video. Esme, Eleazar and I will choose the bottom three contestants, and they will have to do last-chance performances for Sam Uley.

"With that, the first assignment is on the board behind me, and your arrangement is on the piano. Good luck." He smiled encouragingly at them and headed out the door, leaving the twelve contestants to try and get their bearings.

"Individuality," the girl beside Bella read aloud. "No problem there."

"Too true, Rosalie," another blonde chirruped. She strolled over to the piano and picked up a stack of sheet music, supporting it on one shapely hip as she started handing out stapled packets. She lingered over a lithe, dark-skinned girl sitting at the fringe of the group. "Still, I'd imagine that some people would have trouble coming out of the woodwork."

Rosalie laughed lightly. "Oh Lauren, why don't you leave Angela alone. I'm sure there's a place here for someone so _wholesome_. I bet her father's whole church is rooting for her."

"Divine intervention, then?" Edward stood and headed for the exit. "I suppose the rest of us will just have to rely on talent," he sneered, "or lack thereof." He slammed the door behind him, and several seconds passed before the majority of the room broke into conversation.

Bella frowned as she flipped her packet open to her part. Studying the notes diligently, she did her best to ignore the backhanded compliments wending their way around the room. Most of it seemed to be centered around Rosalie and Lauren, though the third blonde, Jessica, attempted to join in. A beautiful, golden ternion of harpies. She rolled her eyes at their antics and hummed to herself quietly, trying to remember the tune for "Signed, Sealed, Delivered." It had been years since she heard it last. As she focused on the lyrics, her mind drifted to sunshine, pancakes, and the droning hum of sports commentary. Her hands started to shake, and she dropped the sheet music to the floor.

The boy next to her reached over to pick it up, and it was then that she finally noticed how close they were sitting. In her efforts to edge away from Rosalie, she had all but pressed herself against his side. She blushed and shuffled to her right. _Never had a boyfriend, and now you're invading a stranger's personal space. Good job, Swan._

Said stranger returned her packet with a flourish. "Milady."

Bella took a deep breath, tamping down the strangeness she felt at his address. Mustering up her courage, she quirked her head to one side and feigned nonchalance. "Milady? Are you doing historical films, now?"

He laughed. "Nah. Ethnic diversity wasn't exactly big until the twentieth century, and even then…" His voice drifted off, and he shook his head as if ridding himself of an unwanted thought. "Jacob Black. But you already knew that."

"I did, but it's still nice to get an introduction." She gnawed on her lip for a moment or two, deliberating. "Do you think you could sign a poster for my cousin? She's got a major crush on you, and I kind of owe her a birthday gift."

"When was her birthday?"

Bella hesitated. "Three months ago," she finally admitted. "I kind of suck at buying her stuff. She's a lot cooler than I was in high school."

Jacob let out a low whistle. "At the rate you're going, you might as well wait for Christmas. That's just sad."

"Shut up."

"I thought you were asking me for a favor?" he teased. "Just bring me a poster and I'll sign it." A high-pitched screech filled the air, and his head snapped over to the "golden harpies," who appeared to be in some sort of competition to see who could sing the highest. He winced and turned back to Bella. "Want to go in another room and practice? We can get ahead while the prima donnas play 'whose tits are bigger'."

Bella choked awkwardly on some saliva, and her skin turned a deep strawberry hue as her body tried to force the liquid out of her airway. Mortified, she quietly mumbled her thanks and her acquiescence to his suggestion. The two of them quietly scuttled away, leaving the other competitors to their own devices.

"Bella!" Alice pounced as soon as they exited the door, dragging a tall boy with a strikingly ugly pair of glasses behind her. "This is Jasper," she said, briefly acknowledging her captive. "Do you and Jacob want to go through the chorus with us? We can get it out of the way and work on our solos this afternoon"

Jacob shrugged. "Fine by me."

"Great! Let's go."

While her friend and newfound acquaintances searched for an empty room, Bella tried her best to seem enthused. Jacob's positivity and Alice's manic energy helped, though she, like the ever-so-uncomfortable Jasper, was more or less riding on the coattails of their joint eagerness.

By the time they found a place to work, both Edward and Angela had added themselves to their little group, further enriching the chorus as they proclaimed themselves to an unnamed love. The idea of it made Bella want to laugh. Signed, sealed, delivered. How much did anyone in the building really know about that? All of them had put their lives on hold for the mere possibility of a brief stint on national television. No, they were hypocrites, even as they sang the words. How on earth was this supposed to show their individuality?

To get through the assignment, she forced her mind to follow these random tangents, letting the notes and phrases stream from her tongue like so much gobbledygook. Alice's worried glances were decidedly ignored, though she couldn't help but notice the unimpressed looks on the other contestants' faces during her solo at their final run-through. They all seemed to be convinced that she would be the first to go. Deep down, she silently agreed.

Alice was going to kill her.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Originally, I thought that each episode was only going to occupy one chapter. To develop the characters (and make it interesting), I've decided to break it up a bit. Also, you may notice some deviations from the way that The Glee Project is set up. It made more sense to cut out the "celebrity judges," since that would just add unnecessary characters. The focus of the story is and will be on the contestants. I've already started working on their backgrounds for last chance performances and the "Vulnerability" episode. _

_Any guesses about **who wins the homework assignment**? I'm using artistic license and reserve the right to reward and kick off whomever I please, even if it doesn't parallel TGP._


	3. Individuality Tuesday

When Bella woke up, the first thing she noticed was the feel of the cool autumnal air across her skin. That led, of course, to the realization that she had kicked off her blankets in her sleep. _Well that's new_. She looked around the room, confused by the brightly colored, amoeboid chairs and eclectic tables. Four other mattresses were placed neatly in line with her own, each containing a gently slumbering girl, one of whom was snoring lightly. Slowly, she remembered where she was. Detroit, Michigan, on the fake LA set of _The Sing! Project_.

Slipping out of bed, she tiptoed over to her suitcase and pulled out some clothing and toiletries. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Rosalie start to stir. She made a mad dash for the girls' bathroom, counting it a miracle when she managed to stay upright. Showering quickly, she frowned at the cracked tiles on the wall and the chipped mirror hanging above the sink. It was as if she were living in the love-child of low income housing and IKEA.

The harpies were already queued up when she emerged. From the matching scowls on their faces, it was evident that none of them had ever had to share a bathroom before. _Heaven forbid_. She held back the urge to give an unladylike snort, opting instead to make her way downstairs for breakfast.

Thirty minutes later, she was back in the girls' dorm, preparing for what would undoubtedly be an embarrassing performance. As Alice meticulously painted her face, Bella tried to ignore the roiling of her stomach as she took in the appearances of the other five—the competition, as it were. Her self-esteem all but crumpled upon itself as she noted Lauren's curves and Rosalie's ethereal beauty. Angela was tall and graceful, like a ballerina, while Alice was the dainty fairy she had always been. Even Jessica's mediocre looks overshadowed her own, and she wondered for the millionth time why she was willingly subjecting herself to yet another "ugly duckling" experience, this one filmed for mass consumption. How had she even made it this far?

At eight o'clock, the twelve contenders trooped silently to the main practice room and took their seats. This time, Bella found herself caught between Mike Newton and Eric Yorkie. The latter persisted in giving her sly looks that made revisiting her half-digested breakfast a very real possibility. Mike noticed her discomfort, however, and after several seconds, he rose from his seat and indicated that they should switch.

"It's okay, Mike. I'm fine," she protested.

Her words fell on deaf ears. Tilting his head towards Edward, he gave her a pleading look. "Masen looks pissed off about something, and it's freaking me out," he confessed.

Bella sighed and switched places with him. From what she could tell, Edward hated her already, so any ire directed her way was to be expected. Therefore, she was surprised when he pointedly ignored her. The only response he showed was when Carlisle strolled into the room, greeting them cheerily.

Standing in front of them all, Carlisle gave them a generic, benevolent smile. "Okay, guys. Let's see what you've got."

They stood, forming a half circle in the middle of the room. The instrumentals started playing through the overhead speakers. One by one, the competitors stepped into the middle of the semicircle and sang one or two lines before returning to the outskirts. Bella all but mumbled the words, standing stock still for her solo. She stumbled on her way back to her spot, and Edward had to catch her and impatiently push her into the right position. He glared at her angrily as they all joined together for the final chorus.

Carlisle applauded once they finished. "Great job, everyone. A few things I noticed: Jasper, you looked really awkward, but at the same time, I feel like you were very comfortable with being awkward. It's this strange sort of paradox."

Jasper reached up and scratched the back of his neck. "I am who I am? I've sort of had two decades to get used to the idea."

Carlisle nodded. "Well it works. Edward, you were really cool and edgy. I like it. Rosalie and Lauren, I have to say, I found the two of you incredibly interesting. You're similar, but at the same time, you're so different. During your performances, both of you were very confident and sexy, but Rosalie came across as being very aggressive and powerful, while Lauren's personality was more sassy and cool. Good job, both of you.

"Bella, you seemed almost robotic while you were singing. The theme this week is individuality, but from your performance, I'm having trouble forming a clear picture of who you are. You need to figure that out, and we need to see it. Mike, same for you."

Carlisle continued handing out praise and criticism until he had worked his way through the room. "The winner for the homework assignment is Lauren. And now, let's get to the rest of the week. You'll be in the recording studio with me this afternoon, dance studio all day tomorrow with Esme, and on set all day Friday with Eleazar. Your sheet music is on the piano.

"You guys are going to be singing Katy Perry's 'Firework'." He paused as Jessica let out a high-pitched squeal. "Glad to see you're excited. Now, Eleazar tells me that the theme is going to be a high school yearbook photo shoot. I want you guys to think of a tagline that would go with your photo. That's who you're going to be trying to show us through your performance. Rosalie, let's start with you."

Rosalie straightened her spine and flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Most likely to become a top model," she announced matter-of-factly. Beside her, Jasper rolled his eyes.

Unfortunately, he was also next. "Um, most likely to develop a better operating system than Windows?"

There were giggles and blank stares from the others. Carlisle nodded at him encouragingly. "That could work, but it's a little specific. Maybe something less complex…and shorter."

"How about 'most likely to stay a nerd'?" offered Lauren sweetly. Alice glared at her, while Jasper shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

"Fine," he agreed.

Eric was next. "Most likely to be a heartbreaker," he purred, leaning past Mike to leer at Bella.

The blond boy leaned forward, shielding her from view. "Most likely to star in a soap opera," he muttered, elbowing Eric as he shifted over again.

Bella looked around the room. Everyone was suddenly looking at her, and she blushed. "Um, I don't really know…"

"Most likely to write a book," chirped Alice. Bella gave her a warning look, but the imp grinned impudently. "What? You've already started a manuscript."

"Mary Alice Cullen, you'd better sleep with one eye open," Bella hissed. Out loud, she gently prodded, "Your turn."

Alice tugged at one of her necklaces. "Most likely to become a fashion designer," she declared, her voice uncharacteristically nervous. Beside her, Edward scoffed, though Rosalie was analyzing her outfit appraisingly. A top consisting of layers of silken earth tones, delicate fishnet stockings, leather boots covered in buckles, and several strings of random metallic charms hanging around her neck. None of the pieces and colors should have gone together, but somehow, they made Alice look like a wood nymph who was heavily into punk rock. After several seconds, the professional model nodded.

"As fascinating as Alice's outfit is, let's move on," Edward drawled. "My turn. Most likely to succeed."

"More like 'most likely to wind up a miserable old bastard'," Michael mumbled under his breath. Bella made a noise of agreement, and Edward kicked her chair.

"I'm sorry, did you say something?" he snidely enquired. She shook her head. "That's what I thought."

Carlisle cleared his throat again. Oddly enough, the gross movement of mucus was incredibly effective in bringing everyone back to the present task. _Must be his signature move,_ Bella thought to herself, holding back a giggle as the man pointed to Emmett.

"Most likely to be happy," the boy replied, smirking impudently as someone made a comment about spending all his time buried underneath other people's cars. "Nothing wrong with being on bottom, so long as you know what you're doing. Besides, I'm good with my hands."

Jasper guffawed, while Eric laughed obnoxiously. Jessica shook her head at them all and stood, drawing everyone's attention. "Most likely to become a pastry chef." She surveyed the room, her eyes daring anyone to comment. Satisfied that she would be left alone, she sank back down, leaving Jacob and Lauren to proclaim themselves 'most likely to become a movie star' and 'most likely to star on Broadway', respectively. Angela quietly labeled herself as 'most likely to save a life'.

Carlisle's smile was strained as he handed them their sheet music. "Learn you parts, and I'll see you at two o'clock. We'll be going in alphabetical order."

"But that means the people at the end of the alphabet get more time," Lauren whined.

Rosalie reached out and patted the girl's shoulder comfortingly. "There there, now. I'm sure an extra hour won't make much of a difference." She gestured discretely towards Bella and Jasper.

Lauren glanced at them, and her shoulders smoothly relaxed. "You're right. Alphabetical is fine, Carlisle."

"Glad to hear it," he deadpanned. "I'll see you all later."

After he left, each of them went their separate ways, and Bella found herself sitting on a folding chair in the middle of the rotting porch. Somehow, the grunge made it easier for her to access the part of her that actually wanted to be here, the love of singing to which Alice had appealed at the start of this whole mess. The rundown exterior of the house was her connection to reality; the shiny interior was a glitzy, cheesy home for narcissists.

For the next few hours, she reviewed her single sentence, the one that would open the entire song. She tried embellishing the basic tune, playing around with notes, rhythm, and breath to mold those sixteen words into something representative of who she was. Apparently, she was supposed to be a future author, but a writer didn't have a clear stereotype, no unofficial manual about how she was supposed to present herself. _Shy, boring, and absurdly insecure. I'm screwed._

By the time she walked into the recording booth, she'd worked herself into a panic. Her first take came out as a shaky burble. Carlisle stopped the recording and frowned. "That's it? That's all you got?"

Three failed takes later, Bella looked miserably at her feet as he continued, "Look, if you can't hack it in here, there's no way you're going to be able to handle everything else we have planned. I saw your audition, and I know you can sing. What's holding you back?"

"I'm not sure how an author is supposed to sing," she whispered into the microphone.

"You've got to be kidding me." Carlisle groaned. "Look, forget the theme and everything else for now. Just take your solo, think about the words, and sing the hell out of it."

Bella took a deep breath and nodded slowly. Closing her eyes, she pulled herself back into that peaceful state, that stable frame of mind where it was just her in the music. Opening her eyes again, she slowly exhaled and nodded to Carlisle. He signaled her when he started recording.

Dredging up the regretful despair behind the phrases, and feeling very much like a free-floating plastic bag herself, Bella skimmed the surface of her own well of pain, letting her emotions saturate every syllable. When she finished, she looked up to see Carlisle staring at her, both his eyes and his mouth wide open with shock.

"Um, was that good or bad?" she asked when several seconds passed without any movement. At her question, he shook his head quickly, forcing himself out of his stupor.

"Good job, Bella. Let's just get the chorus, and we'll be done."

Five minutes later she scurried out of the booth, waving Jasper in on her way to the kitchen. She poured herself a glass of milk and gulped it down while her hand dug through the cabinet for another package of Pop Tarts.

"Had a rough time?"

Bella turned away from the cabinets and scanned the room. Edward was sitting in the far corner, his feet propped up as he lounged. "What are you doing here?" she snapped at him.

"Is it a crime to want a quiet place to read?" He held up a book to emphasize his point.

Ignoring his question, Bella squinted at the front cover, trying to remember why it was so familiar. Suddenly, she burst into laughter. "The _Dusk_ series, Edward? Really?"

He scowled. "I was once compared to one of the main characters. I'm trying to see if it was meant to be a compliment or an insult."

_Funny, I don't remember any caustic, self-absorbed boys in those books._ "Which character was it?"

"Edwin Cuthbert."

At that, Bella let out another peal of laughter. "Oh trust me, you don't want to be compared to that guy. He's a total creeper." She paused. "Don't tell me you sneak into girls' rooms to watch them sleep."

Edward wrinkled his nose. "He does that?"

She nodded. "He also hangs out in a tree outside her window and follows her around in a Volvo."

"That's disgusting." He closed the novel and threw it across the room, ignoring the reproach in Bella's eyes for being so callous with a book. With a deep groan, he leaned forward and rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands.

"If it makes you feel any better, a lot of tweens have major crushes on him. One of the girls I used to babysit had a 'Team Edwin' poster on every wall of her bedroom." Rinsing out her glass, she turned to place it in the dishwasher, rearranging several items inside to make it fit. Between twelve young adults, they'd managed to fill all three racks over the course of the day. She shook her head and started the appliance. With a satisfied smile, she twirled around to continue her conversation with Edward.

He was standing directly behind her, a malicious glint in his eye. It only intensified as Bella gasped and her hand immediately flew over her heart. "Was that really supposed to make me feel better, Isabella?"

Bella shook her head and tried to move away, backside skimming the counters as she edged towards the doorway. Edward followed, robbing her of more of her nerve with each one of his confident steps. Unexpectedly, he grabbed her arm and pulled her forward so he could whisper in her ear.

"I may not be a vampire, but I do draw blood. Watch yourself, Swan."

He pushed her away from him and swiftly left the room. Meanwhile, Bella let her back slide down the refrigerator door, comforting herself with the coldness of the kitchen floor. What just happened there? One moment, they'd been chatting amicably, and the next, he was back to threatening her and invading her personal space._ His mood swings are giving me whiplash_.

Eyeing the cover of Edward's discarded book, her face transformed into a scowl. "He's Edwin Cuthbert, all right." She hauled herself up and headed towards the dorms. "Moody, condescending little drama queen."

As she trundled up the stairs, she thanked her lucky stars that she had nothing in common with Edwin's counterpart, Becca Goose. _Only a complete idiot would fall in love with such a conceited bastard_, she thought, conveniently forgetting many a literary example of good men who started out as incorrigible beasts. Letting her annoyance fester, she resolved to write Edward into her unfinished manuscript, if only for the detective to find another cold body.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Hi everyone! I didn't expect to post again so soon, but this chapter demanded to be finished. Hope you enjoyed it._


	4. Individuality Wednesday

"Guys, we don't have that much time to get this down. Let's start again. Five, six, seven, eight." Esme snapped her fingers to the beat, watching as twelve young adults shimmied their shoulders and twitched their hips. She frowned and waved her hands. "Hold it. Listen to the music, everyone. Your movements need to be sharp."

As Esme clapped her hands to accentuate the rhythm, Bella held back an inward groan. Her back was sweaty, her muscles were tired, and she had the great misfortune of having incurred Lauren's wrath. _I didn't trip over her on purpose_. Thankfully, she wasn't the only one struggling with the routine; Mike also seemed to be having trouble memorizing the choreography.

Frustrated, Esme grabbed her water bottle and pulled a long swig. "Okay, you guys are on your own for the rest of the day. Alice, please work with anyone still having trouble."

The pixie threw up her hand in a perky salute before dragging Bella and Michael to the far corner of the dance studio. "The two of you need to relax," she urged. "Both of you are moving like—"

"—like they have brooms up their bums?" Edward interrupted. In response to her glare, he shrugged. "We've been at this for hours now thanks to these two. The sooner they get it, the sooner we can call it a day."

"Nobody's asking you to stick around," Mike snapped.

Ignoring the comment, Edward stepped behind Bella and placed both hands on her hips. Her body tensed, and she was about to pry his fingers loose when he started shifting her back and forth to the beat. Shocked by his audacity, she let him guide her to the lyrics, her body finally falling into the rhythm. One of his hands drifted up to grip her shoulder, pushing them opposite the direction of her hips so that her torso was pulled taut. Her body gradually got used to the shifting motion. Several measures later, both of Edward's hands slipped away, and she found herself moving on her own, feeling the tension in her body match the punctuated pulse of the song. Seconds passed before she realized that Alice was now grinning at her.

"Edward, you're a genius!" she squealed.

But the boy was already gone. As Alice tried to walk Mike through similar steps, Bella's eyes wandered the studio in search of her copper-headed instructor. "Here, penny penny penny," she mumbled as she looked around in vain. For a second, she thought she saw him grinning at her through the door, but when she did a double take, the hallway was empty.

Two hours later, Alice declared that they were ready and dragged them out of the mirrored room. "I feel like I've been ducked in a stinky vat of sweat," she complained, tripping nimbly up the stairs. Bella waited in the hallway while her short-haired friend showered.

She leaned over the banister, lost in thought until a voice almost sent her tumbling over the thin, wooden rail.

"Ma always taught me to be polite to women, but someone should probably tell you that you smell like wet dog." Jasper grinned at her, his hair still damp and his glasses slightly foggy.

Mortified, Bella's cheeks started to burn, and she turned to run downstairs only to trip over one of her shoelaces. The Texan burst into laughter as she scrabbled back into a standing position. "I'm just kidding, Bella. Anyway, what'd you do to Edward? He's been all dark and broody since he came upstairs."

Bella blinked owlishly at him. "He has?" When Jasper nodded, she furrowed her brow and focused her eyes on the floor. "I don't _think_ I did anything. He helped me a little with the routine, is all."

"Don't worry about it," Emmett's voice boomed. "The boy's just PMS-ing. Again." He slapped an arm around Bella's shoulders, only to recoil quickly. "Ew, Bells. I just took a shower."

"I'm still waiting for Alice to free up ours," she pointed out. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure nobody here really knows what goes through Edward's head. He's a ticking time bomb."

Emmett leaned forward and pulled both of them closer so that he could whisper conspiratorially. "I think there's a girl involved. He keeps mumbling 'you bitch' in his sleep." He looked at Bella expectantly, but instead of curiosity, her eyes were alit with something close to fear as she stared over his shoulder.

Edward's face was a mask of cold fury as his shoulders blocked off the opening to the boys' dorm. "Actually, McCarty, I was talking about your mom. Turns out she likes it dirty."

Both Mike and Jasper latched onto Emmett's arms, but he just dragged them behind him as he stalked over to where Edward was standing. He snarled at the taller boy. Suddenly, Edward was flung backwards as Jacob stepped between the would-be combatants.

Squaring his shoulders, the actor hooked his arms around Emmett's waist and helped the other two drag him downstairs. Bella tentatively stuck her head into the boys' dorm to find Edward staring moodily into space, his back propped against a bed and his clothes thoroughly rumpled. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," he muttered testily. "None of your business, anyway." He opened his mouth to say more when Alice's voice drifted down the hallway, announcing that the shower was free. He snapped his jaw shut and watched Bella's eyes as she slipped away.

_Stupid stupid stupid_, Bella chanted to herself as she coated her hair with strawberry-scented shampoo. As she closed her eyes to rinse away the suds, all she could see were Edward's intense gaze, her chest constricting strangely as she recalled the connection of green with brown, a natural meeting of flora with nourishing earth. She shook her head and dunked it under the streaming water for good measure. Nothing good could come from fixating on the emotional nightmare known as Edward Masen.

For the rest of the shower, she forced her mind to focus on pleasanter things. _I should give Nessie a call_, she thought to herself. _She'll have a coronary when I tell her I'm living with Jacob Black_. Chuckling at her cousin's teenage obsession, she wrapped herself in a towel and stepped into the dorm.

The room was empty, save for Rosalie. The model put down her magazine and rose from her bed as Bella walked past her and started rummaging in her suitcase for clean clothes. "Dinner's in ten minutes," the statuesque blonde announced blandly. She sashayed out of the room, leaving Bella to stare at her retreating back in confusion.

"Was Rosalie Hale just…nice?"

**ooOoo**

"So what do you think of the competition so far?"

Bella looked up from chamomile tea and cocked her head in confusion. "The people or the contest itself?"

Alice sipped from her own mug and smiled. "Both, Bellsie."

"The people are more or less what I expected. and this show is liable to kick my butt, which is still sore, by the way. Bella Swan and physical exertion don't mix."

"Whine whine whine," her friend pooh-poohed her. "You'll be in fantastic shape by the time this is all over. Anyway, not everyone here's a snob."

"Like Jasper?"

Alice grinned. "Jazz is the anti-snob. He's nice and smart and—"

"—dorky?" The smaller girl threw a cookie in her direction, and Bella ducked, but not quickly enough. Instead, the baked good smacked into her forehead before falling in her lap. She picked it up and took an impudent bite.

"Oops." Alice burst into giggles. "That's what you get for making fun of my Jazzy."

"_Your_ Jazzy?" One of Bella's eyebrows lifted into a pointed arch as her friend nodded emphatically. "Does he know that?"

"Not yet, but he will."

The front door opened, and Jacob joined them on the porch. "Hey Bells, Ness wants to talk to you. She's mad that you didn't tell her about me, by the way." He gave her a puppy-dog look. "Am I really that embarrassing?"

"Why are you answering her phone?" asked Alice, while Bella snatched the rectangular object from his hand.

He grinned. "The caller ID was my face. I had to do it."

Alice giggled while Bella glared at them both. "Hey Ness."

"_Was that really Jacob Black? _The_ Jacob Black?_"

Bella sighed. "Yes, that was really Jacob Black."

There was a high-pitched squeal, and she had to hold the phone away from her ear. "_Why didn't you tell me sooner? I'm totally joining you in LA. What's he like? Is he as nice as he is in the interviews? I bet all the girls are drooling all over him. Wait, is that why you haven't called?_"

"Well I was going to tell you, but they've had us practicing non-stop. Yes, he's been very nice, and no, he's not my type. This is a _competition_, Ness; we're not here to hook up."

"_So he's free then. Can I visit? Please?_"

"Renesmee Carlie Dwyer, you stay put or I'm telling your mom."

"_But I'm eighteen already_," Nessie whined. "_I just want to meet him. It'll only be a weekend_."

"I don't care how old you are," Bella said firmly. "You have school right now, and you can't just drop everything to chase after a boy. Here, talk to Jacob."

Holding her hand over the speaker, she turned to him in panic. "She wants to visit. I can't tell her that we're in Detroit, and I'm not sure I can stop her from trying to go to LA."

"I'll talk her out of it," Jacob promised. Taking the phone from her hand, he brought it to the side of his head and stepped back into the house. "Hey Ness, what's this I hear about a visit?"

Bella sank into a warped wooden chair and rubbed at her face. "Little Loch Ness is going to be the death of me."

"Well, hopefully Jacob can talk her out of it. I'm guessing she's one of his fan girls?"

"Not the psycho kind; last I checked she doesn't own any 'Team Jared' bedding." Bella laughed dispiritedly. "The weird thing is, she didn't even like him until she saw a clip from one of his interviews. Before that, I think she called him a 'pretty boy who's all abs and no spine'. That was after we watched _Harvest Moon_ together, by the way."

Alice clapped her hands together and started bouncing up and down in her seat. "You totally need to tell him that. I want to see how he reacts when you tell him he's _pretty_."

Bella snickered into her mug and drained the rest of her tea. "I think Nessie really would kill me if I did that. Are you done with your drink?"

Holding both empty cups in one hand, Bella used the other to open the door. She stepped into the kitchen, where Jessica was mixing something in a large, metal bowl. She was humming to herself as she swayed back and forth, dancing her way around the kitchen. The blonde jumped when she saw Bella standing five feet away.

"Sorry," the brunette apologized. "What are you making?"

Jessica's expression slowly morphed from shocked to determined. "None of your business," she snipped. "Shouldn't you be practicing or something?"

Bella rolled her eyes and placed the mugs in the dishwasher. "Don't worry, I'll be out of your hair in a minute." She kicked the door upward and pushed it closed with her hip. "If Alice comes looking for me, tell her I'm in the studio." She shook her head at Jessica's hostile behavior and stalked down the hall.

Edward was already in the studio when she arrived. A single bulb illuminated the musty room. The boy's skin glowed ethereally as he shifted about in the back corner, working his way through the entire dance routine over and over. Behind him, Mike followed Edward's movements as best he could, a pale shadow mimicking the demon before him. Every so often, Edward's lips would move, and Mike would nod.

_He's helping him_, Bella realized. _Well I'll be…_

She took the opposite corner and focused on the mirror as she forced her aching body through the steps several times, wincing as her hip bumped into the barre. She scooted closer to where the boys were working and started over. "Baby you're a firework," she quietly sang. "Come and let your colors burst." Her limbs reluctantly warmed and started to match her movements to the words. Several measures later, two more voices joined her, forming a thin chorus as three weary souls worked away in the dark.

* * *

><p><em>AN: Yay, an update! I was at a wedding all weekend, and the job hunt is still ongoing. TSP = escape. Hope you guys enjoyed the update.  
><em>


	5. Individuality Thursday

_All characters belong to Stephanie Meyer. I own nothing and earn nothing from this fanfic._

* * *

><p>Bella scanned the room for Alice and threw her a pathetic, panicked pout when she found her. From the edge of the high school set, the diminutive nymph gave her two thumbs up and an encouraging smile. "You can do this, Bellsie," she mouthed. "Just be yourself!"<p>

Out of the corner of her eye, Bella saw Edward lurking in a row of fake lockers. The empty metal boxes groaned as he leaned against them, and she saw his muscles tense in order to support his weight. He shifted his body to give it the appearance that he was resting against the red receptacles, ready for the cameras to switch to him once her segment was completed. Noticing her interest, he gave her an expectant look that said "Don't mess this up…or else."

She swallowed a lump in her throat and brought herself back to the shallows in which she had submerged herself in the studio. With her heart bludgeoning the inside of her chest, she held onto the pain, wincing as the desolation taunted her and threatened to drag her further into its depths. Her eyes started to sting just as the signal came for her to begin.

Bella lost herself in the words, her body walking forward slowly as she implored the camera to understand her emotions. _Wanting to start again_. The words pulled at her mercilessly. There were so many things that she wanted to start over, and she briefly wondered if the camera could possibly understand. The soulless device zoomed in on her face, then swung in a ninety-degree arc and turned its attention to Edward. She watched him sing his lines, the lines of his body exuding the paradoxical air of being vulnerable yet arrogant. As the focus shifted to Angela, she saw him relax, and she too sagged against the wall as her muscles loosened.

With a noisy clatter, the fake bricks behind her tumbled backwards, leaving her sprawled on a dirty warehouse floor. She jumped up with alacrity. Her hands swiftly dusted off her borrowed clothing while her eyes swept the set, hoping against hope that she hadn't interrupted anything. Unfortunately, the crew had been in the midst of a seamless transition from Angela to Mike when the accident occurred. All filming had been halted with her accident.

Edward yanked her aside and dragged her back to her starting position, his lips drawn into a tight line. Meanwhile, the crew rushed forward to fix the broken wall.

Eleazar strode over and gave her an irritated look. "Nobody lean on anything unless we tell you to," he boomed. "This is a _set_, people, not an actual school!"

"Couldn't warn us earlier?" Edward snarkily commented under his breath. He glanced at Bella's side, then jogged away, leaving her to stare numbly as the crew gave the damage up for lost. Instead of replacing the wall, the nabbed another set of fake lockers and erected them in front of the hole, effectively blocking it from view. Eleazar went and surveyed the overall effect.

"It'll do," he finally pronounced. "We'll have to start everything over, though."

A warm hand wrapped around Bella's shoulder, and she jumped. As she turned around, another sweater dangled in front of her face. "Yours is ripped," she heard Edward say, "and we don't need you tripping over yourself getting to and from wardrobe."

"Hardy har har," she muttered, snatching the cotton garment out of his hands. She quickly changed and tossed the damaged clothing off the set. Seeing Edward saunter back to his position, she called out her thanks to his retreating back. He waved his hand dismissively in response.

Standing in place, Bella tried to force herself back to that space she had accessed earlier, but her mind rebelled, fixating on her innate clumsiness instead. Shame swept through her as she glanced at the lockers. The hole was hidden, but it continued to mock her, even as she turned back to face the camera. She could see Eleazar's disappointment as she sung her section. Thankfully, he let it go and continued through the rest of the hallway-based segment. Alice darted onto the set and gave her a hug as soon as they were finished.

"Don't worry about it," she soothed. "How were we supposed to know how flimsy everything is?"

"They're being real tightwads about this whole thing," Mike declared as he walked over to join them. "I mean, renting out space in Detroit is probably dirt cheap compared to LA."

Edward snickered, causing the rest of them to turn. "They're probably patting themselves on the back for being good Samaritans. From what I hear, Michigan's the popular new charity case. Everyone's trying to come up with ways to revive a dying state's economy."

"Even Borders is failing," Bella mused, while Mike good naturedly called her a nerd beneath a poorly executed cough.

"Speaking of nerds, let's go over to see Jessica and Jasper's section. He said it's going to be fun." Alice scampered to another part of the warehouse, where a home economics classroom had been erected. The table was covered with fanciful cakes and cupcakes, a mixture of creams and pastels and fondant decorations. Behind the confection-covered counter, Jessica was mixing batter vigorously, her face focused on the camera even as her hair slipped out of her cheerleader ponytail and swept along the side of her face.

Out of nowhere, Jasper darted onto the set and stole one of the cupcakes. The plaid-bedecked boy skittered awkwardly around the fake room, singing gleefully as she tried to chase him down. His grin was particularly pronounced as he all but shouted the word "own". After "July", he took a large bite of the cupcake and grinned in triumph.

Bella and Alice looked at each other and tried not to giggle at his antics. Their efforts failed, however, as Jessica spitefully swiped some frosting and smeared it across his glasses. His fingers immediately rose to the lenses and tried to wipe off the butter cream, but his efforts ended up smearing the purple mixture more thoroughly across the plastic, effectively wiping out his vision. With a sigh, he went to the sink and turned the tap. Nothing happened.

"Darn you, fake sink!" he cried, tossing his half-eaten cupcake aside. He squinted as he scanned the rest of the warehouse, trying to locate a place to clean to his glasses. One of the crewmembers took pity and handed him some cleaning solution and a towel.

Sliding his cleared glasses back on, Jasper watched Bella and Alice fall over each other laughing. "Just you wait, little girls. Your time will come."

"I think Bella's already did," Emmett chuckled, striding over to join them. Bella glared at him. "What?" he asked innocently. "After Edward ransacked wardrobe for girl clothes, I had to see what happened. I have to say, for someone so tiny, you do a lot of damage, Bells."

"Why you—" Alice started chasing Emmett around the set, while Bella followed them and tried to get them to stop. Suddenly, Emmett turned around and grabbed her, hauling her back to the cake display. The largest one now had two green candles stuck into its center. The burned merrily as the other contestants surrounded them and burst into a loud rendition of "Happy Birthday".

Blinking back tears, Bella stared at the orange outline of the twin flames. As the voices died down, she took a deep breath and made her wish. _I want him back_. Her breath whooshed from her lungs, extinguishing the candles with one quick puff.

Alice clapped merrily, while a crewmember came up and started distributing slices of cake. Bella awkwardly accepted a serving and dutifully took a bite, letting the velvety texture roll around her tongue as the chocolate flavor seeped into her taste buds.

Jessica watched her anxiously. "Well?" she asked.

Bella swallowed. "It's amazing. Did you make this?"

With an uncharacteristic blush, the other girl nodded. "All of the other stuff is from a local bakery, but Alice wanted me to make your actual birthday cake."

Lifting her slice closer to her face, Bella squinted at the fondant figurine. "Is that why there's a ballerina? And pink sparkles?"

Jessica shrugged. "It's what Alice asked for.

"Of course it was," Bella groaned. "Thanks, Jess. The cake's great."

As the aspiring pastry chef preened, Jacob slipped past them for a second slice. "We're starting the photo session part of the video in half an hour. Eat fast; they'll need to touch up hair and make-up beforehand. Oh, and Bella…You have frosting on your cheek."

Bella swiped impotently at her face twice before Alice leaned over and wiped it off. "Silly Bella. Let's go get ready for your close-up."

"I'm not in this scene," Bella protested.

Alice rolled her eyes. "Fine then, we'll get ready for _my_ close-up. Picky picky."

The exited hair and make-up and entered the photo booth just in time to hear Eric start complaining. "This isn't going to work," he whined. "It won't make me look like a heartbreaker if I only have a little girl under my arm."

"I'm telling you it looks fine," Eleazar gritted out.

"Can't we add another girl? What about Bella?"

Eleazar grunted. "Fine. Here's how we're going to do this. Alice, you're going to be fixing Emmett's clothes for the shoot when Eric walks over in front of the camera. You'll push Emmett away and start straightening Eric's clothes instead. Bella, I want you to sweep in from the other side. He's going to put his arm around you, and I want you to give me a catty smile. Alice, you stomp off. Okay? Good."

Bella shuddered as Eric gave her a sly wink. As she put down her water bottle, she gave Alice a pleading look. Her friend frowned apologetically and pointed towards Eric, distorting her face with disgust. Both friends chuckled and took their places.

Bella's stomach roiled as Eric's arm slipped around her, his fingers digging lightly into her bare shoulder. Channeling Rosalie's and Lauren's haughtier, she smirked at the lens as Alice huffed and stormed off the set.

Three takes later, Eleazar finally clapped his hands together. "Okay everyone, that's good. Take a break while we finish Lauren's solo. After that, we'll film the big group number and call it a day."

As they walked towards the break room, Eric pulled Bella into his side. "Hey birthday girl. I did some digging for restaurants this morning. You, me, and a little birthday celebration. Whaddya say?"

She gingerly pushed him away, yelping as his hand dug into her waist. Suddenly, the pressure was gone. Bella turned just in time to see Jacob throw Eric aside by his wrist and step between him and Bella. The Native American boy glowered at the would-be Casanova. "She and Ness have a phone date. Sorry, man."

As Eric scurried away, Bella gave Jacob a questioning look. "Thanks. How did you know I'm talking to Nessie later?"

His tan skin turned two shades darker, and he shoved both hands into his pockets. "She mentioned it before she hung up last night. By the way, what kind of a name is 'Renesmee'? I asked, but she wouldn't tell me."

Bella snickered. "Her mom, Renee, wanted to name her after herself, but she was high on painkillers when she spelled the name out. Somehow three extra letters worked their way in there. Uncle Phil tried to correct the form, and she gave him a black eye."

He whistled. "Pregnant women are terrifying. My sister Rebecca had a baby last year. I don't think I've ever seen my brother-in-law look so run-down."

"I believe it."

Somehow they made their way through the rest of the video. Bella sank to the floor in relief when it was over, careful to keep her back away from any walls. As she watched, workers started breaking down the set around her, returning the warehouse it its previous rundown glory. Eventually, she was asked to stand up so they could remove the wooden floor.

"It's amazing how quickly it all comes apart, isn't it?" Rosalie came and stood beside her, carefully leaving a wide space between them. "They can dismantle a world in less than half a day."

"Uh, yeah," Bella lamely replied.

The model eyed her appraisingly. "I saw what happened with Eric earlier. Next time a slimeball grabs you, fight back. Let me know if you need to learn how."

As Bella nodded dumbly, Rosalie glided away, leaving a wave of confusion in her wake. Emmett fell into step beside her and gamely held the front door open, letting her exit first. He gave Bella a wink before following the blonde outside. The door swung shut behind them, the sound reverberating through the rapidly emptying building.

"Happy birthday to me."

* * *

><p><em>AN: I'm taking poetic license with the supposed "cheapness" of the sets. No offense intended towards Michiganders; for one more week, I'm one of you. They really are filming a lot in the area thanks to the relatively inexpensive space. Actually, they filmed part of "Scream 4" just down the street from where I'm sitting now. =)  
><em>


End file.
